Loose-leaf book.



F. E. HOU$H.

LOOSE LEAP BOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1913.

1,083,539., Patented Jan.6,1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. HOUSH, OF wnv'rirnor, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOSE-LEAF Boon.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK E. TIOUSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vinthrop, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Loose -Leaf Books, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a loose-leaf book in which the leaves are secured by stiff, removable leaf-locking binding strips, preferably of metal, having angular extensions at each end and means for securing the binding strips, with the stack of leaves held thereby, to the cover of the book.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspec tive view of the binding strip and locking lever; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the binding part of the cover Fig. 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of the engaging bolt, in engaging position; and Fig. i is a per spective view of the binding part of the cover with a stack of leaves partly connected thereto.

The cover of the book comprises the usual front and back portions marked respectively 1 and 2 and the back portion marked Upon the back cover portion 1, two broad hooks 11 are mounted, the point of the respective hooks projecting toward the back section 3, close to the surface of the section 1 on which they are mounted and to which they are securely fastened. Upon the front section 2 of the cover are mounted two bolts 21, best seen in Fig. 3, which pro ject perpendicular to the surface of the cover section 2. The locking strip 4 has at either end bent-over portions 41 projecting at right angles to the part 4 and has a slot 42 cut in the upper member 41 for a purpose hereafter to be described. Pivotally mounted upon the upper member 41 is a locking lever 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in open position.

Each of the stack of leaves 6 is made at its back edge with a pair of open-ended, opposed and relatively oblique slits 61. It is also provided with apertures 62 for a purpose hereafter to be described.

In assembling the book the stack of leaves 6 is by joggling on the sides and ends brought into position so that the oblique slits 61 and apertures 62 in each leaf register with similar slits and apertures in every other leaf in the stack. The binding member 4, which is made from stiff sheet mate- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 26, 1913.

Patented an. Serial No. 775,838.

rial, preferably sheet metal, of a thickness to fit the slits of the leaves, is slid edgewise into the registering slits 61 and the lower projection 41 of the binding strip is slipped under the hooks 11 on the side member 1 of the cover. The cover is then turned over the back of the stack of leaves and the bolts 21 are inserted in the aperture 42 in the binding strip, the points of the bolts 21 passing into the apertures 62 in the stack of leaves. The lever 5 is then swung inward, its edge entering above the edge 21 on the bolt and as that edge is preferably slanted, as the side of the lever 5 is pressed inward, the bolt is drawn downward, and when the lever has been pushed in to its full extent, so that it rests beneath the extension tl, lt will be obvious that the bolt 21 is engaged by the edge of the lever and that the bolt cannot be withdrawn until the lever is again pulled out to release the bolt 21.

In the drawings, which show the pre ferred form, the engagement between the binding strips andthe cover, at one end, is effected by passing the part 41 beneath the hook 11, the engagement at the other end being effected by the bolt and lever device described. This preferred method of engagement is somewhat cheaper to make than it would be to employ the bolt and lever engagement at both ends.

I claim 1. A loose-leaf book comprising a stack of leaves, said stack having a multiplicity of oppositely slanted slits in its rear edge,

and apertures adjacent to said slits; stiff, removable, leaf-locking strips mounted in said slits, each strip having leaf-retaining end portions arranged substantially at right angles to one end of the central portion of the Strip, said endportions having a bolt receiving aperture; a cover carrying a multiplicity of bolts adapted to enter the bolt receiving apertures in the strips and leaves and a locking lever mounted upon each strip to engage the bolt and lock the parts together.

2. A loose-leaf book comprising a stack of leaves, said stack having a multiplicity of oppositely slanted slits in its rear edge and apertures adjacent to said slits; stiff, removable, leaf-locking strips mounted in said slits, each strip having leaf-retaining end portions arranged substantially at right angles to one end of the central portion of the strip, said end portions having a boltside member a multiplicity of bolts adapted gether. to enter the bolt receiving apertures in the Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this 23rd strips and leaves and on the other side memday of June, 1913.

receiving aperture; a cover carrying on one 1 to engage the bolt and lock the parts to- 10 ber a multiplicity of hooks, With which the l FRANK E. HOUSH.

end portion of the binding strip opposed Witnesses: thereto, may engage, and a locking lever JOSEPH T. BRENNAN, mounted upon each bolt-receiving end part MARY A, OBRIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

